All posts tagged ‘Skype’

Launchpad Toys is the creator of Toontastic and other apps that facilitate digital storytelling and digital play. When it first emerged with its iOS apps I was taken by its approach and philosophy that was driven by a belief and understanding of the importance of play – for both learning and just as a thing we should do, part of what makes us human. The team understands that play in the digital space can be as enriching and purposeful as play in any other space. They know that children learn through play. They promote the fact that play is fun and frivolous and immersive – and that is required in a life full of learning.

Toontastic has been used by educators across the globe, with thousands of children telling their own stories and creating their own narratives in classrooms and at home. I was one of those educators who engaged children in an app that didn’t just offer a space to tell stories, but taught children about the structure and form of storytelling through the design on the app. This is what puts Toontastic above all the other similar apps.

However, there was an issue. When I tried to use the app with younger children the interface was too much. The complexity of the process and the storytelling became limiting for children. Launchpad Toys observed this as well. And it has done something about it, along with adding features that explore how digital technology offers play experiences and a co-presence that is important for families and friends who live far apart.

My two boys, ages 5 and 2, love their grandparents, but they just don’t see them enough. Both sets live about 5 hours away from us, and most communication with them is done via phone. I’ve tried to set both up to use Skype in the past, but it’s either PC problems or Internet issues or trying to squeeze two people into a small area so they can both be close enough to the screen to see their grandkids. One way or another, we’re usually forced back to voice communication.

Recently, one set of grandparents purchased a new flat screen TV, and wouldn’t you know… it has an HDMI port on it! This is good news because Logitech kindly provided me with two of their new TV Cam HD kits to test out. The HD camera requires HDMI to support the higher quality 720p image, and since my in-laws already had an existing Skype account, all that was required was for me to get them to unbox the kit, install it, login to Skype, and make a call on their new TV. Continue Reading “Great Face-To-Face HD Chats in Your Living Room With Logitech” »

My son, age eight, is quite attached to our iPod Touch. And the computer. And sometimes to the television and the Nintendo DSi. (And my iPad when I let him touch it.) For the most part, he plays educational games, or watches quality movies or videos. He has learned all of the countries in the world, and quite a bit about strategy and physics. And while he never complains about being bored, he does seem to be dependent on these electronics for much of his entertainment. To give him a break from this, we have often had days where the kids went electronics-free. But lately, that hasn’t been enough.

So a friend and I devised a plan for my kids. They will have an (almost) electronics-free summer. So from June 3 (when my daughter gets back from a Girl Scout trip) until the end of July, my kids will have to stay away from electronics. Mostly. I am making a few exceptions.

One, they can Skype with their dad. Two, they can occasionally check their email (they almost never get any). (These two fall under “communication” and are therefore exempt from restriction.) And three, they each get a punch card (made by yours truly) good for ten days during the summer that they can choose to do electronics. This works out to a little more often than one day per week on average.